1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to multilayer inductors.
2. Description of the Related Technology
A multilayer inductor with a closed magnetic circuit has a structure in which a plurality of conductor layers for forming a coil, and a plurality of magnetic substance layers are laminated alternately. When a predetermined or higher direct current is applied to the multilayer inductor, an inductance may decrease due to magnetic saturation. The decrease in inductance may be improved by changing the laminated inductor with the closed magnetic circuit into the one with an open magnetic circuit, and more specifically, by arranging a nonmagnetic insulator layer 1c between magnetic substance layers 1b of a laminated product 1 as shown in FIG. 20. In FIG. 20, a pair of external electrodes 2 and a plurality of conductor layers 1a for forming a coil are also illustrated (refer to Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 56-155516).
According to the multilayer inductor shown in FIG. 20 with the nonmagnetic insulator layer 1c interposed between the magnetic substance layers 1b, the magnetic saturation can be suppressed by the nonmagnetic insulator layer 1c to improve direct current superposition characteristics. However, magnetic reluctance becomes high even under low magnetic flux density, thereby decreasing an inductance due to the magnetic reluctance.